Slaves of the Beat
by Xantall of the Farwood
Summary: Ravage shows up one night at the Autobot base one night to deliver a message to a certain bot. One-shot
1. Chapter 1

_**Slaves of the Beat**_

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The Autobots didn't know what to make of it. The proximity alarm had been triggered and nothing was on the monitors. This meant only one thing Ravage had snuck on to the base and slipped up somewhere. So when they spread out to search for him it was a surprise to Prowl and Jazz to see him sitting in the loading bay. Waiting. Just waiting. Prowl was about to fire on the kitty con when Jazz held up a hand.

"Hey there Ravage." Jazz flinched for a second when the Decepticon stood up. The panther like bot's tail hung low dragging the ground. He tipped his head and a flash of silver flickered from his mouth. "Wha` cha got there, kitty?" The saboteur said kneeling down.

Either Ravage didn't hear the kitty comment or didn't care was unknown because the second Jazz knee joint hit the loading bay floor he was limping towards the Autobot. Prowl in the meantime contacted the others informing them that they found the little spy and to report to the loading bay. Purple blue liquid streaked across the floor as small sparks flickered at Ravage's rear leg near the hip. Involuntary Jazz held out his hand and the young bot let whatever was in his mouth go.

He had never been this close to the Con without trying to rip each other apart. So he took a good look as the cat sat back leaning on his good leg. Ravage was young they all knew that but it only now occurred to Jazz that he was only a little older than Blaster's oldest and they were barley younglings. It was clear that the little bot was in pain but he didn't show it that was until Blaster along with Optimus, Ironhide and a few other bots showed up.

"Ravage?" Blaster spoke almost lost at the sight. The bot let loose a cry of pain and utter loss that no one had ever heard from the con and shot forward staggering to get to the orange bot. The Autobots were in shock from the sound and the sight of Blaster scooping up the small Decepticon and holding him close to his spark. The black bot nuzzled his muzzle against the frame holding him. Energon tears slipped between the two frames and Blaster was afraid to ask. "What happened?"

Never looking up at the bot, the sorrowful cries slowed and the kitty spoke, to the surprise of most of the Autobots. "Creator…" A small hitch in his vocal cables that sounded strangely like a human hiccup laced with pain echoed in the silence. "…Megatron…" That sound again.

"Where are your siblings?"

"Wouldn't …leave…creator." Each pause was that spark wrenching sound.

"Ravage one more." He nodded. "Where is Soundwave?"

That seemed to being the kitty con back. "Assistance." The word was short and he pushed against Blaster roughly. The Autobot lost his grip on the little con and he tumbled to the ground. With his leg nearly torn off he didn't get his balance and landed sharply on the injured leg. There was a sickening crack and a flare of sparks before the Decepticon stood up.

Ratchet had pushed his way to the front of the gathering Autobots in time to see Ravage force himself up on three legs. The fourth remained on the floor along with a growing pool of fluid. Ratchet was fighting every protocol in him not to rush over and treat the wounded Cybertroian. Looking directly at Jazz the kitty con flicked his head and looked at the Autobot's hand. Holding up the piece of silver Blaster snatched it away.

Looking over it he could see it was folded. Blaster carefully began to unfold the piece. Optimus being quite this whole time chose now to speak. "Blaster, do you know what to make of this?" There was a pause and no answer as the orange bot held open what looked to be a flyer from Cybertron. "Blaster?" The Prime asked as the boom box stared at the flyer his frame starting to shake.

"Hey I remember that place." Jazz piped in looking over the poster. "They had two rocking DJs that would battle it out for the Master of Bass title."

"Follow!" Ravage snapped before running out the bay doors on three legs.

Blaster never waited or asked for permission as he followed the Con out the doors in a dead run. The flyer had slipped from his servos and drifted to the ground. Jazz scooped it up. The flyer proclaimed they had _"The Masters of Bass battling it out on the mix tables all night long for the closing night"_ all flared in reds and silvers on a plain background. But scrawled in the corner in what appeared to be energon was a phrase.

"In the end we are all masters of the music but slaves to the beat."


	2. Chapter 2

Blaster sprinted across the landscape of earth cursing that his alt mode wasn't something with wheels or a plane or anything that wasn't stationary. The light produced by the full moon reflected off the energon staining the ground. He felt his spark twist as Ravage stumbled slowing a step. Finding Soundwave was important and his spark cried out for its missing other half but as Ravage stumbled again Blaster knew he had to worry about the youngling in front of him.

"Ravage wait." He called out slowing his steps.

Ravage slowed to a stop before turning to look at Blaster. He processor was fogged as everything turned sideways and he thought his optics were glitching. Before him instead of the mud ball Earth was Cybertron, the slums but still his home. His home where the beat was clear and steady. Where Blaster would scratch his ears and there was no danger in his home. Bass echo through his processor when he felt a servo on his head. Shuttering his optics Ravage could see the blue glow from blasters optics but everything was dim.

Blaster knelt before the fallen con and carefully stroked his helm. His servos shook with every movement. Tears burned at his optics as Ravage tried to stand. When the panther had stopped his optics had dimmed and he had collapsed to his side. Cautiously he forced the con to stay down.

"It's going to be ok Ravage." Blaster cooed scratching behind his ears. Touching his communicator he waited for the beep as he kept the struggling Ravage from getting up. "This is Autobot Blaster requesting…"

"_Blaster where the slag are you going?"_ Ratchet snapped over the comm link.

Shuttering his optics Blaster hadn't been expecting that. "I followed Ravage but he collapsed and needs medical assistance."

"_We are a few minutes behind you. Keep him stationary until I arrive."_

"Right." The orange bot nodded before returning his look to the con. Ravage growled low trying again to get his feet under him. "Come on Rav. Just stay down Ratchet is coming. He'll fix you up and then we can get Wave."

Ravage made a weak sound and pushed his muzzle into his hand. "Creator…"

"Hush, don't speak." Blaster said trying to fight his growing fear. "You'll be fine."

Ravage shook his head. "Blaster…Creator is in danger. Siblings in danger." He tried to stand again but once more Blaster held him down. "I must protect them." The panther growled snapping slightly at Blaster's servo. The orange bot didn't flinch back but vented and nodded.

"Fine, tell me what happened."

Ravage optic dimmed slightly before flaring back to life far too bright; proof that he was forcing himself to stay on line. "Energon reserves are running low. Heard Screamer trying to keep his trine out of forced stasis lock suggested us first. Megatron caught spying. Tried to…" He made a whimpering sound as he moved slightly. Blaster kept stroking his helm trying to still the normally evasive con. "…to escape but my leg." He paused shuddering at the memory.

"It's ok Rav you can stop." Blaster forced out looking towards the sky.

Shaking his head the kitty con continued. "Creator came to assist. Tried to explain but Megatron insane." His optics dimmed and he lowered his head into the dirt not having the strength to keep it up. "Siblings not understand. Fought. Escaped. Siblings injured. Creator injured badly. Creator couldn't move, couldn't get help. Siblings hurt, scared. I had to go. Scared them more." His head tipped to the side optics flickering. "Had to protect. Had to save. Sending…coordinates. Beat clear, Carrier." Blaster froze. His blue optics fell to the little bot on the ground. "Proud, Carrier?" His optics guttered out as Blaster received a private message from the con.

"Ravage." The Autobot asked softly servo pausing on his helm. "Ravage, please don't…" The words caught in his vocal cables as his spark ached. He had thought of Ravage has one of his own creations but never knew it was returned. Never thought Ravage wanted his approval. Blaster pulled the youngling in close and pressed their helms together. "Ravage." He called out into the night holding on to the best spy either side had known. "Please don't leave." The sentence just kept tumbling out of his mouth over and over as tears of energon dripped onto the kitten's faceplates.

That was how the others found him holding the con like his own sparkling. Optimus and Ratchet were the only two that approached carefully. The Prime laid a servo on the orange bot's shoulder. "Blaster." He spoke low to the grieving boom box. "Ratchet needs to see him."

The bot shook slightly and pulled his helm away from his lost youngling. Energon streaked his face as he lifted his arms up Ravage limp in them. Ratchet acted quickly and took the fallen con from him before snapping for First Aid to join him but Optimus couldn't look away. His happy music loving communications officer knelt before him looking up optics dull and empty. "Blaster." He spoke the deep tone wavering slightly.

"He can't leave." Blaster said looking down at his servos. They were sticky with drying energon. "Wave and the others need him." His optics shifted to where Ratchet was frantically working on the bot. His spark ached and flared reaching for the once small bond that he had ignored for thousands of Vons. He tugged at the fading connection but nothing came back.

Ratchet stood saying something to First Aid then turned back to Optimus. "What are you doing?" Blaster snapped anger boiling from inside as he struggled to his peds. Optimus and Ratchet stepped back optics wide. "Why are you stopping!?"

"Blaster listen…"

"No! You have to save …you have to keep wor…." Blaster cried out vocal cables glitching now and again blurring his words as he watched First Aid and another bot head back towards the ship with Ravage. "Ravage!" He yelled out confused as to why Ratchet stopped. Ratchet could save anybody. He had put the twins back together from almost nothing. Blaster knew why Ratchet had given up. It was because Ravage was a con. So he said so and kept yelling at Ratchet who only stood there taking the abuse from the distraught mech.

"Blaster!" Optimus finally interrupted raising his voice. The orange bot looked at him fresh energon tears on his faceplates. "We need to get to Soundwave."

The bot looked at him confused for a moment as if the name was foreign to him. Ravage was the only thing that plagued his mind. Soundwave was a distant thought that came rushing back jarring his processor. "Ravage gave me his location. He's not that far out, Prime." Blaster answered and started off.

"Autobots move out." Optimus called to the reaming three bots as they followed after Blaster. They didn't need their head lights to see the orange bot racing across the land. Moon light reflecting off the desperate bot like fire. Blaster paused for a moment to check his location before sprinting off again. It wasn't long before the group came upon Soundwave and the others. Blaster froze in his stride.

Soundwave was propped against a large stone. Energon was smeared across his frame and running freely from a claw mark across the glass of his cassette ejector. Other dents and tears in still seeped energon. He took a staggering a step forward before movement brought him back to reality. "Wave!" Blaster cried rushing towards the fallen con.

In his desperate need to reach Soundwave he dropped to his knees and skidded the last two yards to his side. "Soundwave, can you hear me?" He asked reaching out for him. He was focused on Soundwave; his unmoving form, his dark optics. "Wave, please this isn't funny." He said reaching to catch the mech's face in his servo. There was no response. He placed his head to the mech's shoulder. "No please Wave not you."

A servo grazed his helm and Blaster looked up. Soundwave's visor was glowing softly and he touched the other communicator's face. "Blaster I…"

"It's okay Wave. Everything will be okay."

Soundwave turned his head slightly almost looking for something. "Ravage?"

Blaster's head dropped and he looked away. "I…"

"He'll be fine." Ratchet growled as he leaned down over the fallen con. Blaster snapped his head up to look at the medi-bot. "I tried to tell you before but you were so distraught that you wouldn't listen." He continued before scanning Soundwave. "Ravage may have been missing a leg but the real problem was the leaking energon line. I sealed it and sent him back with First Aid." He lifted his head reading the scan. "You have several lines open, damaged gears and looks like a few severed cables. How deep is the cut on your chest?"

"How can you be so calm about this look at him!?" Blaster cried panicked.

Ratchet raised an optic ridge. "Mostly superficial wounds. They always look the worst."

"Ravage said…"

"Ravage is a youngling and panicked when his Creator couldn't continue on because of a severed cable."

"But…"

"Blaster I will be fine if your medic says so." Soundwave interrupted placing a servo on the others shoulder.

"I do." Ratchet grumbled sealing a few open lines.

"I want to hear it again. The beat has been so weak."

Blaster shuttered his optics and rested his helm on Soundwave's shoulder. "Ravage said he could head it again." He rested there listening. Sure he had heard the beat the whole time but the music was so much better with someone else.

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**A/N: **_Oh My Gods that was just full angst but I guess it turned out okay. I will admit the end isn't what I originally had written. Thought you guys might like a happier ending then what really happened. Anyways, __**We are all masters of the music but slaves to beat **__I'll try to explain what it means here because It would take a full fiction to actually explain it out in their world. I can't start another one because I already have three going and one in limbo. So here we go._

"_**We are all masters of the music but slaves to the beat"**__ is something personal to me. I understand the world in music. Everything from the sounds of the world to the way that I write or speak is in a pattern; a beat if you will. It is the driving force behind my thoughts and ideas. When I allow the beat to flow; accepting that I am a part of it I feel better, think clearer and can create with ease. My creation is my life, my writing, the overall peaceful feeling I can achieve; this allows for the "music" to exist. Yet when I am disconnected and fighting the natural beat things come out well shaky and uneven. They feel awkward for me and it filters into everything I do. So the ending of this story is like me fighting the beat. It seems well just dropped into it to me like it doesn't belong. The pattern is off. So I hope that explains what the saying means and __**Good Reading.**_


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